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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural senior standout Brooklyn DeLeye was tapped as the TopSports.news 2023 All-Shawnee County girls basketball player of the year after helping lead the Junior Blues to a second straight appearance in the Class 6A state title game.
A three-time All-Shawnee County first-team pick, the 6-foot-2 DeLeye helped the Centennial League champions post an 18-6 record and come within an eyelash of winning a second straight 6A state championship, with the Junior Blues dropping a 35-34 heartbreaker to Blue Valley North in the title game.
DeLeye is joined on the all-county Top 10 by 6-foot senior teammate Chloe Carlgren while Washburn Rural coach Kevin Bordewick, who has led the Junior Blues to a pair of state titles and a runner-up finish since 2019, was named the county coach of the year.
DeLeye averaged 16 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals, shot 59.7 percent from 2-point range and 38.5 percent on 3-point attempts as a senior while Carlgren averaged 9.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, shot 35 percent from 3-point range and was the Junior Blues' defensive stopper.
Like DeLeye. Topeka High senior star Kiki Smith earned TSN All-Shawnee County Top 10 honors for the third straight season after leading the Trojans to a 16-6 record this past season.
Smith, a 5-8 senior, helped the Trojans reach the Class 6A state tournament her first three high schools seasons, including a state runnerup finish in 2021.
As a senior Smith averaged a city-high 20.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 3.1 steals while connecting on 50 3-pointers.
Seaman, which posted a 21-2 record and won the United Kansas Conference title, is represented on the first team by 5-10 sophomore Anna Becker and 5-9 freshman Maddie Gragg, who was also named the Shawnee County newcomer of the year. Becker is a Top 10 repeat pick and was named the United Kansas Conference player of the year.
Becker averaged 12 points, 3.7 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 3.3 steals this past season while Gragg averaged 13.4 points and 5.9 rebounds while shooting 60.2 percent from the field on 2-point attempts and 75 percent from the free throw line.
Silver Lake, which went 23-3 on the season en route to a fourth-place finish in the 3A state tournament, put sophomores McKinley Kruger (5-7) and Makenzie McDaniel (6-1) on the All-Shawnee County first team for the second straight season.
Shawnee Heights senior Emari Doby (5-9) and Rossville junior Kinsey Perine (5-8) move up to the Top 10 this season after earning Second 10 honors last season while Highland Park sophomore Amelia Ramsey (6-0) earned first-team recognition this season after receiving honorable mention a year ago.
Doby averaged 12.5 points and 8.3 rebounds as a senior while Perine averaged 9.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 5.8 steals and Ramsey averaged 19.8 points and 15.8 rebounds while shooting 65.2 percent from two-point range.
ALL-SHAWNEE COUNTY GIRLS BASKETBALL
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
MASON CASEBEER, Washburn Rural
A senior, Casebeer was the 2022 city champion in No. 2 singles, finished third in singles in the Centennial League meet and was a regional runnerup to earn his second straight Class 6A state tournament berth. As a sophomore, Casebeer teamed with Nick Luetje to post a 12th-place state doubles finish. Casebeer is a two-time All-City pick.
CARTER COOL, Topeka West
Cool, a senior, teamed with graduated senior Gavin Chavez to finish sixth in doubles in last spring's Class 5A state tournament, helping the Chargers finish second as a team. Cool and Chavez were the city champions in No. 2 doubles and finished second in doubles in the Centennia League and 5A regional tournaments. As a sophomore Cool claimed the city No. 1 singles title and a 5A regional singles championship. Cool is a two-time All-City honoree.
IAN CUSICK, Topeka West
A senior, Cusick teamed with his twin brother Miles to win the Class 5A state doubles championship last spring, completing a sweep of city, Centennial League, regional and state doubles titles. West won the co-team title in the city meet and won a regional team title before finishing second as a team at state. The Cusicks won city, league and regional championships for a second straight season and earned their second state medal, finishing ninth as sophomores. The Cusicks are two-time All-City selections.
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By KEVIN HASKIN
TopSports.news
Musings at the mid-month:
Watched KU in the Big 12 tournament and couldn’t help but wonder what the program would look like without Bill Self.
Like everyone else, I suppose.
Every elite basketball power has endured some kind of noteworthy dip in the timeframe the Jayhawks have enjoyed stellar consistency.
No KU coach has embraced and upheld the tradition quite like Self.
But the thumping by Texas in the Big 12 tournament final proved that KU is not just a plug-and-play coaching position.
That, and Texas is on a roll.
Good news: no three-game runs in three nights exist in the NCAA tournament. Depth is not as big an issue with the lengthy TV breaks.
During the Under-4 time-out, you can order a pizza and a Buick and have each delivered during a maddening 6-minute table review with 39 seconds left.
One thing about Self -- he’ll turn the furor created over the Jayhawks’ draw in the West Regional into a motivational ploy.
Be well, Bill.
Gotta feeling KU will have a lot of supporters in Las Vegas if it advances to the second weekend as expected.
Tough regional draw, though. Especially if KU is overly reliant on Jalen Wilson for offense.
Of course, Wilson is key to a deep run. What a season.
One plus to KU in the NCAAs: no more alternative, special occasion or let’s wear ‘em ‘cause Adidas made ‘em games.
Well, I guess there’s always a chance the Jayhawks wear gold or yellow.
Rather than wear replicas of a 1923 uniform representing a national champ crowned by a Los Angeles bread maker, put up a banner declaring the 2020 Covid team the national champ.
Makes every bit as much sense.
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Eight Silver Lake and Rossville players earned All-Mid-East League girls basketball recognition from league coaches, including first-team picks McKinley Kruger and Makenzie McDaniel of Silver Lake and Kinsey Perine of Rossville.
Kruger, a 5-foot-6 junior, and McDaniel, a 6-1 junior, helped lead Silver Lake to a 23-3 record and a fourth-place finish in the Class 3A state tournament while Perine, a 5-8 junior, helped lead Rossville to a 16-7 record and a berth in a sub-state final.
Rossville junior Emma Mitchell (5-11) and Silver Lake senior Taylor Ross (6-0) earned second-team All-Mid-East recognition.
Rossville freshman Rylee Dick (5-5) and Silver Lake senior Mariah Farmer (5-6) and junior Kaibryn Kruger (5-7) received honorable mention.
St. Marys sophomore Hayden Heim (6-1) and Riley County senior CJ Rignell (5-7) joined M. Kruger, McDaniel and Perine on the All-Mid-East first team.
ALL-MID-EAST LEAGUE GIRLS BASKETBALL
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Silver Lake's Troy Heiman, a 6-foot-3 senior, has been named to the All-Mid-East League basketball first team by league coaches.
Rossville freshman Jack Donovan (6-1) was named to the All-Mid-East second team while Silver Lake sophomore Jared Johnson (6-1) and Rossville senior Kade Perine (5-7) both received honorable mention.
Silver Lake posted an 8-14 record on the season while Rossville went 7-14 on the year.
Joining Heiman on the all-league first team are St. Marys' Brady Hurla (5-11 sophomore) and Keller Hurla (6-2 senior) and Wabaunsee seniors Eli Oliver (6-2) and Ryan Schutter (6-4).
ALL-MID-EAST LEAUE BOYS BASKETBALL